This is coming in a few months late, but at the time, I was too busy with the workload to worry about blogging about my Thanksgiving experience. I am all done now, and here it is! Thanksgiving this year was obviously not spent in Lancaster PA with my second family, however it still consisted of well-cooked turkey, cranberry sauce and perhaps a third family? With a bonus of champagne.

I think I speak for most of us American visiting students in saying that Catz was very thoughtful and kind in organizing a thanksgiving supper for us, as we were away from home. The Dean, and the Master among other administrators were not obliged to celebrate this American holiday, but did so and did it well. We began the evening at the Senior Common Room, having some drinks with the Master and casually chatting with our peers. We then abandoned our glasses of champagne and/or orange juice and went over to the dinning hall where we were served a delightful traditional meal. Turkey, green beans, red wine, cranberry sauces, etc and topped it off with a delicious pecan pie for dessert. At the end of the table, a group of us decided to keep American tradition alive and go around the table, stating what we are thankful for. Family was one that got mentioned a good number of times and while it sounds like a clich�, I think it had a lot more meaning at that table that night than it did at any other point. There we were, a group of students, none of whom had known each other prior to taking the huge risk to study abroad. We were out of our comfort zones and away from our families and loved ones, however, we had somehow managed to find a new family amongst each other and create a home away from home in St. Catz.

The Dean gave a great speech addressing this towards the end of the dinner that put everything into perspective. As an Irish man away from home himself, he related to how we may had been feeling. And although Brynne was unable to make her Jell-o thanksgiving special (because apparently, there is no jell-o in the UK! *GASP*) we were able to form new Thanksgiving traditions so that if ever we should all be in the same area again during the season, we would know how to celebrate it in our own way and while stating what we are thankful for, we will be sure to include our experience at Oxford University, and more specifically, St. Catherine’s college.

The PSU Crew at Catz

Location: Oxford, England